THE ORGANS AND OPERATIONS OF 2 EVERY artist who desires to excel should be well acquainted with the instrument he uses. It may be useful that we know the structure, to understand the action of the organs of speech. Anatomical terms and definitions shall be avoided, that all may comprehend the meaning, in the following inquiry. BREATHING. The primary cause both of respiration and voice is the LUNGS. They are suspended in the cavity of the breast, and are of a porous elastic substance, adapted to receive, contain, and expel the air. They answer a purpose similar to that of the bellows of an organ. As soon as they are distended, they have a natural propensity to contract into a lesser compass, which immediately expels the air. The air is expelled by means of the WINDPIPE, which is a flexible tube, connected with the lungs, and opening into two passages, the one through the nostrils, and the other through the mouth. When the lungs are emptied, the external air rushes in by the same passages, from its native spring, to restore the equilibrium, and likewise from the principle of its own weight, which is computed to be equal to the pressure of thirty-three feet of water. The lungs, again, from the expansion of the air-vessels, and from their own compressive action, spontaneously discharge themselves. In this manner respiration is carried on. The lungs are likewise adapted for the purpose of CIRCULATION. They purify and accelerate the blood, as it passes through them from the veins to the arteries. Hence it is, that the action of the heart is generally in proportion to that of the breath. In running, or any violent exercise, the internal vessels demand a quicker supply, both of the air and of the animal fluids; at that time the pulse beats high, and the breath is panting. The action of circulation is continued, whether we are awake, asleep, attentive, inattentive, willing, or unwilling; but the action of respiration may be heightened, retarded, or altogether suspended, as we please. When the breath is stopped for a short period, we EXPIRE or die; because the vital fluids can no longer be transmitted through the body. B LARYNX. The upper end of the wind-pipe forms that curious instrument called the larynx. In the throat of a man it is conspicuously prominent. In a woman, it is commonly but one-third of the magnitude. It is suspended, movable, and furnished with muscles to elevate or depress it at pleasure. In the production of musical tones, it ascends almost an inch in two octaves. GLOTTIS. The parts which compose the larynx are so disposed as to leave in the midst a small chink or cleft, called the glottis, which is the sole cause of voice and modulation. It is of a solid, gristly, and tremulous nature, peculiarly adapted for the production of sound. Its orifice can be widened or contracted, and its sides or chords either stretched or relaxed, as occasion requires. Hence it is, that it bears a near resemblance to a wind and a stringed instrument; the one from its form, and the other from its substance. That this organ, so exquisite in its structure, so astonishing in its operations, might be secured from external injury, nature has provided the EPIGLOTTIS, a small valve or covering, which, in the action of swallowing, lies flat upon the upper part of the larynx, that the food and liquids may roll over it into the mouth of the gullet. By this means, the passage of the breath and voice is always kept clear and open. VOCAL SOUND. In every species of breathing, such as sighing, panting, blowing, however forcible, there is no vocal sound. All sound arises from an impulse, communicated by some tremulous body, to the particles of air. In common breathing, or whispering, the aperture of the glottis is too wide, and its fibres too soft and relaxed for the production of sound; but when it is a little contracted, and its sides more stretched and more contiguous, the air as it passes plays upon them, causes them to VIBRATE, and produces the sound. This vibration, which always accompanies a vocal tone, is clearly perceptible to the sight and touch. It is evident that the tone in the human throat arises from similar causes to that in an instrument. When we blow into the orifice of a flute, the stream of air, expelled through so narrow a chink, becomes forcible and rapid, dashes against the particles in the body of the instrument, and, by dislodging them, produces sound; precisely the same effect is occasioned by expelling the breath through the contracted glottis. When we strike the strings of a violin they vibrate and resound; in the same manner the smooth gristly chords of the glottis are excited in a tremulous motion in the production of sound. Having thus described the production of VOCAL TONE in the throat, we shall examine the changes it undergoes by the different position and action of the ORGANS OF ARTICULATION. Every impulse of BREATH 'or voice receives its peculiar modification from these. TONGUE. The chief instrument of pronunciation is the tongue. For that reason, language itself is sometimes called metaphorically by this name. The tongue, which is connected with the larynx, is composed of a very movable fibre, closely interwoven into the most solid and flexible membrane. It is distinguished from all parts of the human body, by its amazing activity in starting from one position to another. In a moment it can be made long, short, tense, relaxed, concave, convex. It is applied with equal ease to all parts of the lips, teeth, jaw, and palate. From its different positions, the breath sometimes passes out in a full stream, sometimes by a narrow chink, sometimes solely through the nostrils, sometimes solely through the mouth, and sometimes it is altogether intercepted. JAW. The lower jaw, which alone is movable, is one of the principal organs of speech. If it is opened with freedom and command, it conduces greatly to the full pronunciation of the vowels. Its motions in the most part of speakers are too restrained. UVULA. At the hinder part of the palate, immediately before the nasal passage, is suspended a small fleshy membrane called the uvula. Its chief use is to prevent the breath escaping through the nostrils in the pronunciation of the mutes. NOSTRILS. After the breath passes the larynx, it directs its course to the MOUTH and NOSTRILS. The sound of three of the half vowels, is emitted solely through the latter. Besides, in speaking or singing, we find that the caverns of the nostril considerably strengthen and sweeten the vocal tone. For that reason they should always be kept clear and open. PALATE. The palate, or roof of the mouth extends from the root of the tongue to the upper gum. It auswers a purpose somewhat similar to the body of a violin or guitar-to collect, rebound, and render melodious the tone. The voice in general is more deep and sonorous, according as the arch of the palate is more or less elevated. LIPS. It is remarkable, that of all the organs, except the larynx, the lips alone are capable of uttering a vocal sound. By blowing through them in a certain position they produce a tone somewhat resembling small flute, or the singing of birds. This tone is higher or lower, according as the orifice is more or less contracted. In speech, some of the consonants are produced by shutting the lips, and some by their communication with the teeth and tongue. The action of the lips likewise gives a peculiar modification to many of the vowels. TEETH. The teeth are of use to collect and retard the breath in pronunciation, and to produce some of the consonants by the aid of the lips and tongue. These are some of the principal organs of voice and language.* Their mechanism and action cannot be admired enough; they give rise to one of the noblest powers man has bestowed upon him by an all-wise and beneficent Creator. It has been observed already, that every impulse of BREATH as well as of VOICE, receives its modification from these organs which have now been described. This will be more particularly exemplified in the language of whispering. WHISPERING. In common breathing, or in pronouncing the vowels in a whisper, the air passes out uninterrupted by the tongue or lips; but in the consonants, the breath is either partly or totally stopped, according to the position of the organs. The sound of whispering is varied by the different form of the passage through which the breath is expelled. This may be illustrated by a common experiment. Take a pipe or hollow reed, blow through it, it produces a certain noise; put your finger into the end of it, the noise is different; apply alternately a stone, a feather, a round or flat surface, still the sound varies according to the nature of the object which intercepts the breath. The same effect is produced by the action of the organs in whispering. In sounding the aspirate of a or e, the passage through the mouth is more or less open, according to the position of the tongue. But if the lips are shut, and the breath expelled through the nostrils without any vocal sound, you then hear the aspirate or whisper of m. If the top of the tongue is applied to the gum, or thrust through the teeth, you hear the whisper of or th, and so of all the rest. If the organs are in so close a position that no breath is allowed to escape, either through the mouth or nostrils, you then hear the explosive sound of p or . This last is somewhat similar to the noise which is occasioned by suddenly stopping or suddenly disengaging the end of the forementioned reed. Hitherto we have considered only that species of language which is unaccompanied with vocal sound; we turn now to ARTICULATE SPEECH. The production of this is still more complicated than either that of whispering or singing. The proper exertion of any faculty, either bodily or mental, is the result of long attention and practice, directed by the best examples. Nature leaves us in a rude and uncultivated form, it is our business to polish and refine ourselves. Nature gives us the organs, it is ours to acquire the skilful perform. • Herries' Elements of Speech, London, 1773. ance upon them. It is a considerable time before the muscles of the tongue in children are adapted for the pronunciation of Language. But whenever they arrive at that state, the utmost care should be taken to form their voice aright. Every bad habit may be easier prevented in the young than removed in the adult. When the organs are tender and flexible, they may be moulded as we please. I am always happy to see a pupil of advanced years come to my class:room, desirous of improving what is faulty, and removing what he is convinced is offensive in his elocution, but I am much more happy to see the " newbreeched urchin" led in, fresh from his spelling-book, before errors in articulation and expression have been contracted, or at least confirmed. ARTICULATION. A good articulation consists in giving a clear, full, and deliberate utterance to the several simple and complex sounds. The nature of these sounds, therefore, ought to be well understood; and much pains. should be taken to discover and correct those faults, which, though often ascribed to some defect in the organs of speech, are generally the consequence of inattention or bad example. As Austin, in his Chironomia, observes, “In just articulation the words are not hurried. over nor melted together; they are neither abridged nor prolonged; they are not swallowed, nor are they shot from the mouth; neither are they trailed, and then suffered to drop unfinished: but they are delivered from the lips as beautiful coins are issued from the mint, deeply and accurately impressed, neatly struck by the proper organs, distinct, sharp, perfectly finished." As all speech or language is only the successive pronunciation of the articulate sounds; and as the vowels, half-vowels, and aspirates, have an independent sound of their own, let them be taught to pronounce each of them separately. For instance, let the following lines be spoken thus,— The spaciou s firmament on high blue y, And spang led heavens, a shining fra me, Their great original pro cl a i m. Each of these divisions represent only one sound, except when a mute is united. In that case alone should the child be allowed to pronounce two sounds at the same time. Three objects must be attended to in the mode of cultivating the voice in children, viz. to pronounce each of the articulate sounds by its own independent power; Instead of saying el, em, ess, ar, vee, let the child be taught to utter only the simple sounds, l, m, s, r, v. These are equally perfect when separate as when combined. The word LENGTH, which contains only four sounds, length, is usually spelt thus, el ee en gee tee aitch. Here, instead of four, there are no less than thirteen sounds uttered. How can the child imagine that ng and th have each of them but one sound? Why do we call in the aid of articulations which are foreign to the word? Let the child be taught to pronounce every half vowel and aspirate entirely unconnected with any vowel. For instance, in m let his lips be shut before any sound is heard. In let the top of the tongue be first of all applied close to the upper gum, and then will be pronounced the articulation clear and unmixed. In short, let every sound, except the mutes, be uttered in their most simple form. On this one principle depends all the propriety and gracefulness of pronunciation. |